The United States House of Representatives, on Wednesday (Dec 13) voted to formally authorise its ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over his son Hunter’s controversial international dealings even though they are yet to find evidence of wrongdoing by the Democratic incumbent. Biden has since slammed the vote as a “baseless political stunt".

<h2>About the vote</h2>

The GOP-led House voted 221-212 along party lines to approve the probe with all Republicans voting in favour and all Democrats voting against it. The inquiry is examining whether Biden improperly benefited from his 53-year-old son Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings.&nbsp;

The vote came hours after the US president’s son refused a call to testify behind closed doors and defied a subpoena.&nbsp;

While House Republicans are yet to provide evidence of corruption. The Democratic-led Senate is unlikely to convict the incumbent president even if the inquiry did lead to an actual impeachment trial.

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The vote also took place as the House was due to leave Washington for a year-end holiday break of more than three weeks.&nbsp;

House Republicans have accused the incumbent Democratic president and his family of improperly profiting from policy decisions that Biden made when he was serving as the vice president during President Barack Obama’s administration between 2009 and 2017.&nbsp;

<h2>Biden slams ‘baseless political stunt’</h2>

The incumbent president swiftly denounced the vote and said, “Instead of doing their job on the urgent work that needs to be done, they (Republicans) are choosing to waste time on this baseless political stunt that even Republicans in Congress admit is not supported by facts.”&nbsp;

<h2>No evidence&nbsp;</h2>

The effort which will almost certainly fail to remove Biden from office has time and time again been dismissed by the White House and said that the inquiry is unsubstantiated by facts and politically motivated.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-says-not-sure-if-hed-be-seeking-reelection-next-year-if-not-for-rival-trump-666650">Biden says 'not sure' if he'd be seeking re-election next year if Trump wasn't his rival</a>

Republicans ramped up efforts to impeach Biden ahead of the 2024 presidential election where he might potentially face a rematch with his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump who became the first US president in American history to be impeached twice and is currently preparing for four upcoming criminal trials.

The Wednesday vote comes three months after Republicans informally began the probe when then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy directed a House committee to open an impeachment inquiry, which alone would not be a required step to remove a president or other official from office.

However, the recent vote and authorisation could give Republicans more legal authority to force the Biden administration to cooperate. So far, Republicans have highlighted Hunter’s business ventures in Ukraine and China when Biden was the VP.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/top-us-house-republican-mccarthy-calls-for-prez-bidens-impeachment-inquiry-white-house-slams-move-635383">US House Speaker McCarthy orders Prez Biden's impeachment inquiry; White House slams move</a>

They have also turned up evidence that the 53-year-old son of the incumbent president led clients to believe that he could provide access to the vice president’s office, but they are yet to provide any proof that Biden himself took any official action to help those businesses or benefited financially from them.

“There is no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business because it did not happen,” said Hunter. On Monday (Dec 11), he defied a committee subpoena to testify behind closed doors, saying that he would only testify in public amid fears that his words would otherwise be misrepresented.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States House of Representatives, on Wednesday (Dec 13) voted to formally authorise its ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over his son Hunter’s controversial international dealings even though they are yet to find evidence of wrongdoing by the Democratic incumbent.

The United States House of Representatives, on Wednesday (Dec 13) voted to formally authorise its ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over his son Hunter’s controversial international dealings even though they are yet to find evidence of wrongdoing by the Democratic incumbent. Biden has since slammed the vote as a “baseless political stunt". About the vote The GOP-led House voted 221-212 along party lines to approve the probe with all Republicans voting in favour and all Democrats voting against it. The inquiry is examining whether Biden improperly benefited from his 53-year-old son Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings. The vote came hours after the US president’s son refused a call to testify behind closed doors and defied a subpoena. While House Republicans are yet to provide evidence of corruption. The Democratic-led Senate is unlikely to convict the incumbent president even if the inquiry did lead to an actual impeachment trial. ALSO READ | US House to vote on formalising Biden's impeachment inquiry on Wednesday: Report The vote also took place as the House was due to leave Washington for a year-end holiday break of more than three weeks. House Republicans have accused the incumbent Democratic president and his family of improperly profiting from policy decisions that Biden made when he was serving as the vice president during President Barack Obama’s administration between 2009 and 2017. Biden slams ‘baseless political stunt’ The incumbent president swiftly denounced the vote and said, “Instead of doing their job on the urgent work that needs to be done, they (Republicans) are choosing to waste time on this baseless political stunt that even Republicans in Congress admit is not supported by facts.” No evidence The effort which will almost certainly fail to remove Biden from office has time and time again been dismissed by the White House and said that the inquiry is unsubstantiated by facts and politically motivated. ALSO READ | Biden says 'not sure' if he'd be seeking re-election next year if Trump wasn't his rival Republicans ramped up efforts to impeach Biden ahead of the 2024 presidential election where he might potentially face a rematch with his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump who became the first US president in American history to be impeached twice and is currently preparing for four upcoming criminal trials. The Wednesday vote comes three months after Republicans informally began the probe when then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy directed a House committee to open an impeachment inquiry, which alone would not be a required step to remove a president or other official from office. However, the recent vote and authorisation could give Republicans more legal authority to force the Biden administration to cooperate. So far, Republicans have highlighted Hunter’s business ventures in Ukraine and China when Biden was the VP. ALSO READ | US House Speaker McCarthy orders Prez Biden's impeachment inquiry; White House slams move They have also turned up evidence that the 53-year-old son of the incumbent president led clients to believe that he could provide access to the vice president’s office, but they are yet to provide any proof that Biden himself took any official action to help those businesses or benefited financially from them. “There is no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business because it did not happen,” said Hunter. On Monday (Dec 11), he defied a committee subpoena to testify behind closed doors, saying that he would only testify in public amid fears that his words would otherwise be misrepresented. (With inputs from agencies)

Republican-led House authorises Biden impeachment inquiry; US prez calls it ‘baseless political stunt’

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives voted Wednesday to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden based on his son's controversial international dealings -- a move Biden himself slammed as a "baseless" stunt.

President Biden slams 'baseless' House GOP impeachment stunt

US House votes for impeachment against Biden

The Republican-controlled US&nbsp;House of Representatives is expected to vote on Wednesday to formalize its impeachment inquiry of Democratic President Joe Biden, a Republican leadership aide said on Monday.

The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because official plans for floor action remained fluid. Earlier on Monday, a Republican lawmaker said House Speaker Mike Johnson disclosed plans for a Thursday vote at a closed-door meeting, a time frame that had also been echoed by other Republicans.

The House is due to leave Washington on Thursday for a year-end holiday break of more than three weeks.

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House Republicans accuse the Democratic president and his family of improperly profiting from policy decisions Biden participated in as vice president during President Barack Obama's 2009-2017 administration.

They have also accused the US&nbsp;Department of Justice of inappropriately interfering with an investigation into Biden's businessman son Hunter Biden. The Justice Department denies wrongdoing.

Republican Representative Kelly Armstrong on Thursday introduced a 14-page resolution that would allow the full House to vote on authorizing the probe.

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House Republicans have so far failed to produce evidence tying Biden's actions as vice president to his son's businesses, and it is unlikely that the Senate, where Biden's Democratic Party holds a slim majority, would vote to convict the president if the House did pass articles of impeachment.

Representative Byron Donalds, a Republican member of one of three committees investigating Biden, told Fox News on Sunday that he expects the inquiry to wrap up within the next two months and the House to draft articles of impeachment sometime in the spring.

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives is expected to vote on Wednesday to formalize its impeachment inquiry of Democratic President Joe Biden, a Republican leadership aide said on Monday.

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives is expected to vote on Wednesday to formalize its impeachment inquiry of Democratic President Joe Biden, a Republican leadership aide said on Monday. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because official plans for floor action remained fluid. Earlier on Monday, a Republican lawmaker said House Speaker Mike Johnson disclosed plans for a Thursday vote at a closed-door meeting, a time frame that had also been echoed by other Republicans. The House is due to leave Washington on Thursday for a year-end holiday break of more than three weeks. ALSO READ | 'Dictator for a day': Biden labels Trump a threat to democracy; reaffirms commitment to Israel House Republicans accuse the Democratic president and his family of improperly profiting from policy decisions Biden participated in as vice president during President Barack Obama's 2009-2017 administration. They have also accused the US Department of Justice of inappropriately interfering with an investigation into Biden's businessman son Hunter Biden. The Justice Department denies wrongdoing. Republican Representative Kelly Armstrong on Thursday introduced a 14-page resolution that would allow the full House to vote on authorizing the probe. ALSO READ | Biden says 'not sure' if he'd be seeking re-election next year if Trump wasn't his rival House Republicans have so far failed to produce evidence tying Biden's actions as vice president to his son's businesses, and it is unlikely that the Senate, where Biden's Democratic Party holds a slim majority, would vote to convict the president if the House did pass articles of impeachment. Representative Byron Donalds, a Republican member of one of three committees investigating Biden, told Fox News on Sunday that he expects the inquiry to wrap up within the next two months and the House to draft articles of impeachment sometime in the spring.

US House to vote on formalising Biden's impeachment inquiry on Wednesday: Report

The White House has reportedly established a war room to aggressively counter House Republicans who are pushing for an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden. Nearly two dozen lawyers, legislative experts, and communications staff are being mobilised for what's emerging as a high-stakes showdown in the lead-up to a critical election year, NBC News reported.&nbsp;

Kevin McCarthy, a Republican and the House Speaker, has indicated an impeachment inquiry against Biden when Congress reconvenes this week.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mccarthy-biden-probes-rising-to-the-level-of-impeachment-inquiry-619410">McCarthy: Biden probes rising to the level of impeachment inquiry</a>

The potential move to impeach Joe Biden would mark a significant escalation in the Republican investigations into Biden and his son Hunter.

<h2>How White House is ramping up efforts to fight a potential impeachment against Biden?</h2>

The White House is signaling its intention to fight any impeachment, claiming that it is a partisan effort encouraged by Donald Trump and his allies to divert attention from Trump's legal issues.&nbsp;

Trump, who has been impeached twice, is currently facing four criminal indictments, including for attempts to overturn the 2020 election, as he seeks to return to the White House next year.

<h2>White House calls impeachment move 'baseless'</h2>

The administration has criticised the impeachment move as "baseless".&nbsp;

A White House aide told NBC News: "Never in modern history has an impeachment been based on no evidence whatsoever."

However, House Speaker McCarthy has branded an impeachment inquiry as a "natural step forward" in the Republican investigations into Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.&nbsp;

"So, if you look at all the information we have been able to gather so far, it is a natural step forward that you would have to go to an impeachment inquiry," McCarthy told Fox News in an interview.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;US Congressman Greg Steube moves to impeach President Biden | World DNA

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While these probes have produced evidence of Hunter's overseas dealings, the Republicans have accused President Biden of trying to protect his son's business affairs.

The White House, however, has accused the House Republicans of "prioritising a baseless impeachment stunt over high-stakes needs Americans care about deeply".

Last week, former US President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that during his presidential tenure, he faced no impeachment inquiries.

He wrote in all capitals: "I never had an impeachment inquiry, I had an impeachment, which I won! It was started immediately, no meetings, no study, no delays."

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The White House has reportedly established a war room to aggressively counter House Republicans who are pushing for an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden.

The White House has reportedly established a war room to aggressively counter House Republicans who are pushing for an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden. Nearly two dozen lawyers, legislative experts, and communications staff are being mobilised for what's emerging as a high-stakes showdown in the lead-up to a critical election year, NBC News reported. Kevin McCarthy, a Republican and the House Speaker, has indicated an impeachment inquiry against Biden when Congress reconvenes this week. Also read | McCarthy: Biden probes rising to the level of impeachment inquiry The potential move to impeach Joe Biden would mark a significant escalation in the Republican investigations into Biden and his son Hunter. How White House is ramping up efforts to fight a potential impeachment against Biden? The White House is signaling its intention to fight any impeachment, claiming that it is a partisan effort encouraged by Donald Trump and his allies to divert attention from Trump's legal issues. Trump, who has been impeached twice, is currently facing four criminal indictments, including for attempts to overturn the 2020 election, as he seeks to return to the White House next year. White House calls impeachment move 'baseless' The administration has criticised the impeachment move as "baseless". A White House aide told NBC News: "Never in modern history has an impeachment been based on no evidence whatsoever." However, House Speaker McCarthy has branded an impeachment inquiry as a "natural step forward" in the Republican investigations into Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. "So, if you look at all the information we have been able to gather so far, it is a natural step forward that you would have to go to an impeachment inquiry," McCarthy told Fox News in an interview. Also watch | US Congressman Greg Steube moves to impeach President Biden | World DNA × While these probes have produced evidence of Hunter's overseas dealings, the Republicans have accused President Biden of trying to protect his son's business affairs. The White House, however, has accused the House Republicans of "prioritising a baseless impeachment stunt over high-stakes needs Americans care about deeply". Last week, former US President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that during his presidential tenure, he faced no impeachment inquiries. He wrote in all capitals: "I never had an impeachment inquiry, I had an impeachment, which I won! It was started immediately, no meetings, no study, no delays." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

White House ramps up efforts against potential impeachment inquiry against Biden